What is inside, stated plainly.
This is the page a serious buyer forwards to a spouse to justify the price. Timber species, drying, joinery, foam density, layering, fabric rub counts and where each comes from — in writing, before you pay.
Timber
Four woods, each used where it earns its place. What matters more than the species is the drying: a wet frame shrinks, creaks and opens at the joints in the second Bengaluru summer.
| Wood | Where we use it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Teak | Frames meant to outlive the upholstery | Stable, oily, resists moisture and insects |
| Ash | Visible timber arms, legs, exposed frames | Long straight grain, takes a finish well |
| Sheesham | Timber headboards, side tables, benches | Dense and figured; reads warm and solid |
| Rubberwood | Value-led builds, hidden frames | Cheaper, adequate when properly kiln-dried |
Species availability moves with the market. If a wood is not available, we will say so and offer the alternative before we build.
Why kiln-dried matters
Green timber holds water. As it dries it shrinks unevenly, and a frame that was square in March is not square in October. Kiln drying brings the moisture content down to a stable range before cutting, so the frame stays square and the joints stay tight.
You can feel the difference in a showroom without any equipment: press hard on the arm of a well-dried frame and it does not move or speak. That silence is the whole point.
Frame construction
Joinery is the part nobody photographs and everybody feels in year six. Ours is simple, old and deliberately unhurried.
Joints
How it holds- Mortise-and-tenon at the corners
- Glued and screwed, not stapled
- Corner blocks at every inside angle
- Built on jigs, so the frame repeats
Suspension
What you sit on- Elastic webbing, stretched and interwoven
- Pocket springs on request
- Seat deck in plywood where flatness matters
- Re-webbing available as a service in year eight
Serviceability
The quiet promise- Covers closed with a stapled flap, not sealed shut
- Foam cushions accessible for replacement
- Legs and feet replaceable without dismantling
- Re-upholstery quoted on any frame we built
Foam, and how firmness is chosen
Density is not firmness. Density is how long the foam lasts; firmness is how it feels on the first day. A sofa needs the right amount of both, in the right places.
| Build | Density | Feel | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | 32 kg/m³ | Sinks, then holds | Lounge seating, low sofas |
| Medium | 36 kg/m³ | Firm at first, softens in weeks | Most homes, daily family use |
| Firm | 40 kg/m³ | Stays put, high seat | Elders, formal rooms, contract |
| Layered | 32 over 40 | Soft top, hard base | Deep seats, long runs |
We use high-density foam throughout. Low-density foam is the reason a cheap sofa looks tired in eighteen months.
Layering, in plain words
A single slab of foam of one density is cheap to make and easy to feel. We layer: a firmer base to carry the load, a softer top to receive you, and a fibre wrap so the cover does not chafe against the foam.
Back cushions are fibre-wrapped for a softer shoulder, and we will tell you honestly that fibre needs plumping. If you would rather not plump, choose a foam back — it is less luxurious and more convenient.
For contract work we specify fire-retardant foam, and we will supply the documentation for it.
The fabric library
Grouped by how they behave rather than by brand. Rub counts are given where the mill publishes them; where they are not, we say so instead of inventing a number.
| Type | Behaviour | Rub count | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bouclé | Textured, forgiving, warm | 25,000–40,000 | Living rooms without pets |
| Velvet | Deep colour, marks with pressure | 30,000–50,000 | Formal rooms, headboards |
| Linen blend | Cool, matte, creases honestly | 20,000–30,000 | Light, airy rooms |
| Chenille | Soft, dense, hides wear | 30,000–45,000 | Family sofas |
| Performance weave | Stain-resistant, tight, hard-wearing | 50,000+ | Children, pets, contract |
| Full-grain leather | Ages, patinas, does not tear | n/a | Studies, offices, hotels |
| Cotton canvas | Rustic, sturdy, plain | 15,000–25,000 | Second homes, verandahs |
Rub counts are the mill's published figures where available, and a range where they are not. Ask for the swatch card and check the number on the back.
Care, and where the fabric comes from
Two short sections that save a lot of WhatsApp messages in year three.
Care by material
- Fabric — vacuum monthly with a soft brush head. Blot spills, never rub. Rotate and plump cushions weekly for the first month.
- Leather — wipe with a dry cloth, condition twice a year. Keep out of direct afternoon sun.
- Timber — dry cloth only. No wet wiping, no phenyl. A wax polish once a year is plenty.
- Foam — keep the sofa out of direct sun; heat is what shortens foam life.
A full care sheet is issued with every piece, specific to the fabric you chose.
Sourcing statement
Timber comes through licensed Bengaluru timber merchants; we ask for the documentation and keep it. Foam comes from named manufacturers whose density we can verify, not from unbranded bales.
Fabrics are bought from Indian mills and from importers where the mill does not make what the design needs. We will tell you which, for the fabric you choose, and the rub count that goes with it.
We do not claim to be fully sustainable. We do claim to be honest about what a piece is made of, so that it can be repaired instead of replaced.
Request fabric swatches
Tell us where to send them and what they are for. It opens WhatsApp with your message already written — you press send, and we confirm the details and delivery with you there.
What you will get
- Swatches in the fabric types you ask about, with the rub count on the back
- A note on which suit your use — children, pets, afternoon sun
- A quote band for each, so you see the price effect before you choose
Prefer to see them in person? The full library of 60+ fabrics is laid out in daylight at the studio — book a visit.
Ask for the specification on any piece.
Timber species, foam densities, fabric composition and rub counts — sent in writing, on one page, before you place an order.